I am going to be sailing around in the Abacos, Bahamas the first weeks of July. Will be on a Moorings Sailboat so can get most anywhere. If you have recommendations for either GEAR or LOCATIONS let me know. I will post a some follow ups of different places I have been to after I return.

Gear - what kites to use, board, conditions to expect ( I know its hurricane season )

Locations - Beaches, Where is good to go. I hear there is SE winds from 10 to 15 kts.

used to spend my summers in Abaco in pre-kiting days, So I've got some ideas for non-kiting activities. Here's a few suggestions:

1) Don't miss this one: In Marsh Harbour: Make sure you go to the conch salad stand. It really is one of the best meals you've ever had, fresh conch from the sea, onions, green peppers limes, and some chili powder, that's it. You'll know it by the line snaking down the street. it's just north of the conch inn marina 1/4 mile or so, where I think the moorings boats are at.

2) Hopetown on elbow cay is pretty spectacular, visually.

3) Green Turtle Cay is definitely worth it for a couple of days. Time the tides right for the passage out past the break though or you're in for a bumpy sail. if you're there, Green Turtle Divers is a good group of guys for diving. Go up the hill to a bar up by the cellular tower at night for a ripping good place to go dancing. It's a locals spot so make nice.

4) Nipper's bar and grill on Great Guana Cay is a nice spot for a sundowner.

The most ideal kite beach I am familiar with is at Treasure Cay, just a short hop north of Marsh Harbour. This is a long beautiful east-facing beach and works on any wind direction with east in it. Treasure Cay is a popular anchorage, but I think caters more to the powerboat crowd who pay for a slip at a marina. There are always plenty of sailboats as well, but the anchorage itself is not scenic. Beware, the channel once inside the anchorage is poorly marked. Do not anchor in the channel (not as obvious as you would think) and use a mast-head light because there is commercial boat traffic even late at night. To get to the kiteboarding beach (which is scenic), just go ashore and walk east across the cay, very obvious.

Just east of Treasure Cay, just inside the northern tip of Great Guana Cay is a very popular and pretty anchorage, can't recall the name. It is completely unprotected from the south or west. You could kite on any wind with south or west or maybe north in it, but the anchorage itself would be choppy and unpleasant on the boat. As of 2-3 years ago there was an abandoned restaurant, bar, and theater from a cruise ship stop here, fun to explore. I have heard that a new development has started, so maybe it no longer exists. You can easily walk across Great Guana to the ocean side for miles of pristine east-facing beach on the ocean, some very rocky - but there is a reef, and no people around, so kite at your own risk.

Definitely go to Hopetown on Elbow Cay, which is the most charming anchorage in the area. You will want to spend a few nights. From here you can also walk across to the oceanside, which I think offers beaches that are slightly more populated and may feel safer than up at Guana. I have heard there are gorgeous beaches up and down Elbow Cay and I am sure you could rent a golf-cart (few real cars here) to check them out.

Make sure you tune-in to the "cruiser's net" every morning on VHF radio. Ask someone what time and channel, I think 6 or 7 am on channel 16. This is a very organized radio summary of weather, news, happy-hour specials, and cruising advice that happens every morning. You will love it. Have fun.

The most ideal kite beach I am familiar with is at Treasure Cay, just a short hop north of Marsh Harbour. This is a long beautiful east-facing beach and works on any wind direction with east in it. Treasure Cay is a popular anchorage, but I think caters more to the powerboat crowd who pay for a slip at a marina. There are always plenty of sailboats as well, but the anchorage itself is not scenic. Beware, the channel once inside the anchorage is poorly marked. Do not anchor in the channel (not as obvious as you would think) and use a mast-head light because there is commercial boat traffic even late at night. To get to the kiteboarding beach (which is scenic), just go ashore and walk east across the cay, very obvious.

Just east of Treasure Cay, just inside the northern tip of Great Guana Cay is a very popular and pretty anchorage, can't recall the name. It is completely unprotected from the south or west. You could kite on any wind with south or west or maybe north in it, but the anchorage itself would be choppy and unpleasant on the boat. As of 2-3 years ago there was an abandoned restaurant, bar, and theater from a cruise ship stop here, fun to explore. I have heard that a new development has started, so maybe it no longer exists. You can easily walk across Great Guana to the ocean side for miles of pristine east-facing beach on the ocean, some very rocky - but there is a reef, and no people around, so kite at your own risk.

Definitely go to Hopetown on Elbow Cay, which is the most charming anchorage in the area. You will want to spend a few nights. From here you can also walk across to the oceanside, which I think offers beaches that are slightly more populated and may feel safer than up at Guana. I have heard there are gorgeous beaches up and down Elbow Cay and I am sure you could rent a golf-cart (few real cars here) to check them out.

Make sure you tune-in to the "cruiser's net" every morning on VHF radio. Ask someone what time and channel, I think 6 or 7 am on channel 16. This is a very organized radio summary of weather, news, happy-hour specials, and cruising advice that happens every morning. You will love it. Have fun.